


The Queen's Gambit

by Winter_Moonlight



Series: You Can't Play Chess Without the Pieces [5]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Thoughts of Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-09-24 12:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20358301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winter_Moonlight/pseuds/Winter_Moonlight
Summary: (Continuation of Castling)As kind as you are... As forgiving as you are... Why aren't you kind to yourself? Why can't you forgive yourself?You can be a little selfish, too, you know?Take whatever you need; we'll love you, no matter what.





	1. Part One (d4, d5)

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING CAUTION READ THIS
> 
> Before moving on, please look at the tags!!! You are responsible for your own mental well-being and safety.
> 
> I will post an additional warning at the beginning of the specific chapters it appears in, however, please take care of yourself.

A slow melody of saccharine, everlasting sorrow purrs. The bitter sweetness like dark chocolate coating his tongue and filling his throat with a stickiness that made it difficult to get even one breath into his body. The agonizing death so sweetly slow.

Stone cold heart being seeped with scorching lava. Ice melting away, leaving raw emotions vulnerable – leaving them to be burned to char. His pulse quickens – blood swiftly speeding through his veins. His body is hot, the pain made him feel so alive, even if it is only death that awaits him.

This is for the best. For his loved one, his cherished one; he will perish in their stead.

His heart wails, the melody accelerating in tempo. The emotions left defenseless transform without his consent. The angry, black soot dirtying his vision convert into raging tides. Nothing about this sacrifice is honied any longer.

He’s alone.

Solitary.

In the middle of a storm, pelted with harsh rain drops as sharp as swords. Thunder rumbles and lightning strikes near his feet.

Bitter. Everything is spiteful. Black coffee pours down his throat, erasing any sweetness the dark chocolate left behind. The scalding liquid blisters through his soft insides, leaving angry streaks in its wake. The heat settles within his belly like a hurricane.

He did it for them, but what for?

His heart doesn’t want to die alone, after all.

“This feels weird. Everything is weird! Something is missing! It’s wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Grrrrrrr!” Leo yells, tossing the pen in his hand down onto the sheet music before him. Angry chicken scratches litter the page, the notes becoming more incomprehensible as the pen’s tip leaves a wavering streak.

Gentle fingers comb through his hair, pulling him back to reality – anchoring him in from falling into his pitch-black delusions.

Turning his head, he meets sparkling azure.

His heart calms its tempo.

He’s not alone.

Leo makes a pitiable whining noise and presses his lips into Izumi’s knee that is situated next to him. There, he is greeted with a sleepy gaze filled with scarlet as deep a shade as the blood that previously spilled from his heart.

Ritsu, with his head on Izumi’s thigh, lays on the couch, stretched out comfortably. Like nothing is wrong. Leo feels his own body beginning to relax just as Ritsu’s is.

The headphones covering his ears are removed.

Leaving Izumi’s warmth, Leo turns in the other direction, only to find Tsukasa setting the headphones down on the coffee table in front of them.

“Perhaps a break is in order.” Tsukasa mentions softly, about to stand from his position on the floor. “Shall I fetch everyone something to drink?”

“Mmm…” Ritsu groans, pushing himself up slowly. “This is my house, so I guess I need to go with you. Come on, Suu-chan.”

Leo watches them leave, his raw heart feeling a twang of pain.

“Hey.”

His head is softly urged upwards, lips caressing his eyelid when he closes them. “Sena…”

“It’s okay. Come back.”

Then chain him down and throw away the key, Leo wills within his mind. He lifts his head more and brushes his lips against the model’s.

“Nnmm… Okay.” He whispers instead.

But something is still missing.

“Want to climb up here?” Izumi asks. With Ritsu gone, the couch is mostly empty.

Leo winds an arm under Izumi’s calf, hugging the leg to his chest. “No. This is fine. Besides, Suo~ will get lonely on the floor by himself.”

None of his knights should feel lonely.

Izumi sits back up and continues to rake his fingers through Leo’s hair. With his other hand, he picks up the textbook settled against the arm of the couch and closes it properly.

“We made some tea and snacks.” Tsukasa announces, reentering the room with a tray full of cups.

“I made the snacks.” Ritsu snickers, carrying a tray of snacks much more precariously. “Suu-chan is surprisingly bad at it. Should Secchan teach you?”

Tsukasa grumbles as he sets down the tray carefully on the coffee table, avoiding the strewed sheet music and fly away worksheets. “And why not yourself, Ritsu-senpai, instead of laughing the whole time? Can you, at least, praise me for the tea? My skills in tea ceremony have finally come to fruition.”

“Seeing you struggle is much more entertaining to me.”

Tsukasa’s mouth drops in astonishment.

“Suo~’s tea is good…” Leo comments absently, keeping Izumi’s leg close to him as he reaches for a cup. “Take care of us more often~!”

“…You don’t need to force yourself.” Ritsu sighs, brushing the back of his index finger on Leo’s cheek as he sits back down next to Izumi. He settles further into the couch by laying down on his stomach, using Izumi’s thigh as a pillow.

“Here, Leader, eat something, too. As grotesque as it looks, I assure you, the taste is divine.” Tsukasa places something sickening in front of Leo.

“From the crumbs on your face, he force-fed you one and you couldn’t stop yourself from having more, right?” Izumi says dryly.

“Thought I got them all.” Ritsu mumbles, tilting slightly off of the couch and tugging Tsukasa’s shirt towards him. He nips at the corner of Tsukasa’s mouth, taking the crumbs onto his own tongue. “You sure like sweets, Suu-chan.”

With his face turning bright red, Tsukasa scampers away to hide at his original spot next to Leo, on the other side.

Leo instinctively lifts his arm so Tsukasa can cuddle closer. “Rittsu is just like that. If you keep going on like this, you’ll get lightheaded.”

“Ow, Kuma-kun, don’t use me as support.” Izumi complains when Ritsu shifts forward, pressing the heel of his palm directly in the center of Izumi’s femur bone. “It feels like it’s about to snap. Get off.”

Ritsu moves his arms and shifts his weight towards Izumi’s knee instead. “I’m not that heavy, Secchan. Take better care of your bones or else your blood will taste bad~”

Izumi clicks his tongue. “I’m pretty sure I’m healthier than you are.”

“Sena-senpai takes impeccable care of his health.” Tsukasa pipes up.

“Mhm~ He would never eat something like this, right, Ou-sama?” Ritsu asks.

“Huh?” Leo mumbles around the piece of cake he just put between his teeth.

Ritsu chuckles and leans forward, capturing Leo’s lips with his own.

Leo feels Ritsu’s fangs take a piece of the dessert before ending the caress with a sweet nibble. Their kisses have changed, these days. They’re no longer bland and empty – devoid of any emotion. It isn’t quite lust, either, in Leo’s opinion. It’s something warm and sugary, leaving an aftertaste of sickly-sweet honey and the feeling of guiltless warmth.

“Ritsu-senpai is just like that, huh?” Tsukasa says, lips frowning into a pout. “Ow!”

Izumi pinches Tsukasa’s cheek between his fingers. “Don’t eat too much.”

The red head grumbles, swallowing his last bite reluctantly.

“If you want a kiss, just say so.” Leo utters casually, turning his head to the other side and pushing forward. Tsukasa’s mouth is open in surprise, so Leo slips his tongue in only slightly to swipe against teeth before pulling back. “Sena doesn’t need to distract you from jealousy. Just say it.”

Tsukasa’s face becomes bright red once more.

“Feel more at ease, Ou-sama?” Izumi asks, his fingers moving to caress the back of Leo’s neck in a gentle massage.

Leo leans into the pressure with a pleased noise. “Yeah. Thanks.”

Izumi puts his other hand out. “What’s wrong with it?”

Without questioning it, Leo places the sheet music into Izumi’s hand. “It’s bad. One of the worse things I’ve ever composed.”

Ritsu stretches his neck up and reads the music notes as well. “…Ugh, sounds like something my brother’s unit would sing.”

Izumi continues his massage absently as his eyes scan the page. “You feeling lonely, Ou-sama?”

Leo lets out a big sigh. “Yes? No? I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Tsukasa mimics.

“Something is missing… We’re all here, but... The inspiration is fragmented and became this mess. It’s Knights, but it’s… not.”

Ritsu lays his chin on top of his arms, which are folded on Izumi’s leg. “Nacchan is in love with you and Secchan, you know?”

Izumi’s fingers stop their caress. Leo turns to look directly at Ritsu.

“How do you know that, Ritsu-senpai?” Tsukasa asks, peaking behind Leo curiously.

“It was kind of our agreement – even if we never said it out loud.” Ritsu shrugs. “Nacchan wouldn’t tell Secchan about my feelings, and I wouldn’t tell either of them about hers. Well, guess I broke the pact, so I’ll take my punishment later.”

“Naru said no, though?” Leo wonders, looking towards the ceiling in thought.

“You’ll have to ask Nacchan about that one.” Ritsu replies with a shake of his head.

Tsukasa looks up at his silent senior, his name on Tsukasa’s lips, but he halts his words.

The tension in the room returns; the laughter from before only a distant memory.


	2. Part Two (c4, dxc4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> Implied/Referenced Suicide ! ! !

Arashi bites her lip harshly, the sharp pain keeping her from releasing the anxious whine forming in her throat. Her status as a model can be questioned later. The rapid beating of her heart sends the butterflies in her stomach aflutter. Bile threatens to rise up, but the unsightly thought forces her to swallow the feelings down.

The analog clock on the wall beats by too slowly. A tick every second, a revolution every minute.

Her thumb absently rubs at the skin of her index finger.

“That will be all for today.”

Arashi rises up with the class and thanks the professor, still impatiently fidgeting.

“Naru-chan?”

“Mika-chan, sorry.” Arashi hastily says, gathering her books and stuffing them into her bookbag unceremoniously. “I need to do something, so I’ll see you later, yeah?”

Mika makes a worried noise. “Are ya alright? Getting yer attention today has been hard.”

“Nacchan does seem distracted.” Ritsu lazily drawls out, draped over his desk.

“It’s… nothing.” Arashi replies. “I’ll be leaving first.”

“Can I help ya? If yer in trouble…” Mika offers, also standing and preparing to pick up his bag.

Arashi waves off the sentiment before jogging out of the classroom. “It’s fine, Mika-chan. Bye!”

She couldn’t possibly accept his offer. To trouble Mika with something like this while he’s so busy himself is inexcusable.

The speed walk she takes through the halls avoid any confrontations with the teachers. Very familiar walls soon come into sight. With a short knock, Arashi opens the door.

“Ou-sama?” The title slips from her lips in disbelief.

The name brings about a loud thump and an exclamation of pain. Leo carefully maneuvers himself out from under a table and rubs his head. “Naru?”

She quickly hurries to his side and kneels down on the ground. “I’m sorry, did I startle you? Does it hurt a lot?”

“It’ll be fine.” Leo mumbles, still rubbing at the spot. “What are you doing in the studio? We don’t have practice.”

“Ah…” Arashi utters out. “I’m interrupting your concentration, aren’t I? I’m sorry, I’ll be quick.”

Leo puts his hand down and stares at her curiously; emerald eyes shining. “You’re acting weird today.”

“It’s really nothing…”

Arashi looks away.

It’s a problem that she should take full responsibility for. There is no need to drag anyone down with her.

Leo flutters his eyes at her in an unimpressed manner. “Liar.”

The short phrase nearly stops her heart cold.

“Something you can’t tell your king?” Leo wonders lightheartedly, his demeanor changing as he lays out his legs in front of him. “If I guess, will you tell me if I’m right?”

“Okay.” Arashi answers warily.

“Lose something?”

Arashi sends a piercing gaze his way. “Yeah...”

“This?” Leo holds out his other hand.

In the middle of his palm is a silver ring. The one she lost and has been frantically looking for since last evening.

“Ou-sama.” She sighs in relief, her whole-body visibly relaxing. “You found it…”

Just as Arashi reaches for the piece of jewelry, Leo picks it up and slips it onto her index finger. Where it belongs. “I was rolling around; the inspiration was flowing nonstop, you know? But then the light reflected off of something underneath the table, so I took a look.”

Arashi giggles, still staring happily at the ring. “How’d you know it was mine, then?”

“This is our territory. Other units rarely ask to rent it out. Besides, you’re the only one of my knights that wears a ring.”

“I see.” Arashi smiles and closes her eyes. “As expected of Ou-sama.”

Their conversation lulls into silence for but a moment.

“…It’s not just a piece of jewelry, huh?”

She gets up and holds out her hands to him. “As thanks, I’ll tell you a little bit. Let’s go out, Ou-sama. My treat.”

“Su…re.” The word is broken by a yawn that Leo hurriedly covers with his hand.

Arashi laughs softly. “Tired? Let’s get some coffee in you, then. It’s wintertime, so it’ll be perfect to warm up.”

Leo only nods and lets her help him to his feet.

The two of them make their way out of the academy and to a small café.

“Black.” Leo requests towards the waiter.

Once the employee leaves to fetch their orders, Arashi comments, “Wow, I didn’t know you drank it like that, Ou-sama.”

“I stayed up all night. Drinking it like this is more effective.” Leo stifles another yawn.

Arashi hums. Izumi and the others sure were lucky. The revelation about their King is a bit attractive. A very immense bit. “Composing?”

“Mhm. I think this new song will suit you.”

“Me?” Arashi tilts her head in surprise, laying her arms on top of the table.

“It started off pretty bad, though. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if you reject it.” Leo sighs. “I’ll just shred it.”

Arashi clenches a fist, careful to keep it from Leo’s vision. “You didn’t need to write me anything… I’m sure Izumi-chan will accept it, no matter what it sounds like.”

To tear it into pieces like it meant nothing?

All of that hard work and those sleepless nights going to waste, just like that?

Arashi feels an aching pang in her heart.

Leo makes a questionable noise, his lips closed together. “Yeah. Sena would.”

Their waiter comes back with their orders.

Arashi takes a spoon and looks down at the parfait she ordered. “Last time I was here, Tsukasa-chan ordered too many of these. But don’t tell Izumi-chan I told you that.”

“Are they good?”

“Here. Ah~” Arashi good-naturedly scoops up some of the sweet dessert and holds out the spoon. “If you want more, just take it.”

“Thanks, Naru~” Leo happily takes the bite.

To Arashi, the energy sounds forced. What is her King thinking? Surely this isn’t just from drowsiness?

Leo is too clever for that.

Clearing her throat delicately, Arashi fulfills her promise. “This ring… was given to me by someone important. Once upon a time.”

Leo stays silent.

She stares down at her hand – thumb rotating the piece of jewelry distractedly.

Arashi laughs breathily, no delight in the sound. “Said it was something to remember them by.”

“Did they move away?”

There, standing in a snow-covered field, was this person. This person who said they wanted to be her friend, at least. Garbed in a Yumenosaki uniform and wrapped in a thin scarf, they held out their fisted hand. Naively, Arashi put out her hand for them to drop what was inside onto her palm.

The amethyst jewel embedded within it reminds them of her stunningly hued eyes, they said – both glittering radiantly, even against the reflective pure white snow in the midday winter sunlight.

They loved her.

They loved her and she refused to understand.

They cried for help.

They cried for help and she was being too selfishly self-absorbed to hear them.

Their name being etched into the cenotaph only a couple days later was the last memory she had of them.

“Naru?”

Arashi rapidly blinks, clearing away the visions of the past. “Yeah… They moved. To a place where I can’t ever reach them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any Twitter mutuals of mine here that watched this headcannon unfold? hehe
> 
> ...and then see me cry about said headcannon.
> 
> Come to my twitter, everyone. It's a fun place where we sob together T^T


	3. Part Three (Nf3, Nf6)

Arashi carefully tucks away her shoes into her designated cubby. Today is a weekend. On her way to school, she saw a few straggling students here and there. No matter what day it seemed to be, Yumenosaki idols always milled around.

She smiled to herself while slipping on her indoor shoes.

Everything is different. Everyone is working hard to achieve their dreams.

Everything is different…

If only they didn’t crush each other to the ground the years before, then maybe…

Arashi shakes her head to clear away the thought. She shouldn’t blame others.

In the end, she was the one who…

She bites at her tongue, hoping the pain will override the other emotions bubbling to the surface. Quickly, Arashi makes her way to Knights’ studio. They’re having a weekend practice session. A rare weekend in which all of them are available. Being with them has always brightened her spirits, so she doesn’t mind the extra work. As long as she could see them, her heart is at ease.

However, the comfort her heart is usually filled with is rapidly replaced with apprehension as shouting filters into the hallway.

“Just like that, huh?!”

Arashi runs to the studio door and throws it open.

“Just like that!” Leo repeats, his voice rising. “Why? Why is it so easy for you?!”

The orange head is facing Knights’ other professional model, only a few feet apart – his face twisted in agony.

“…It has always been like this.” Izumi replies coldly. “Who are you trying to kid, Ou-sama? We’re Knights. Individualists. It has always been this way.”

Leo shakes his head in disbelief. “You’re going to toss us aside?”

“I told you at the beginning, I’ll get rid of anyone standing in my way.”

Leo looks down. “I thought… Knights changed. That’s why I…”

“Then you should’ve stayed and forged us how you wanted to.” Ritsu comments in a snarky manner from his spot against the wall, arms crossed against his chest. “Secchan sharpened our swords. Even if it’s an ally, as temporary as it is, you’ll be taken down.”

Arashi tries to stop them, but her voice sticks in her throat.

What is going on?

Leo clenches his fists tightly, a watery laugh breathily escaping from his lips.

Soon, the laugh strengthens and becomes louder. “Ha… Hahaha. Hahahaha!”

“Ou-sama,” Arashi whispers worriedly, taking a step towards the older boy.

“Okay! I get it!” Leo looks up. He has a wide smile on his face despite the liquid pooling onto the surface of his eyes. “I get it, Sena! Hahaha I was the fool! I was always the fool, wasn’t I?!”

“Tch.” Izumi scoffs. “Well, if you get it, then get out of my way. A relationship with you doesn’t mean I need to keep following you. You don’t make my decisions for me. I won’t be shackled.”

“I love you.” Leo says. A tear finally streaks down his face. “I love you. I poured all of my love into you.”

“I didn’t need your love.” Izumi replies, his icy blue eyes sharp. “Love won’t get me anywhere.”

“Hahaha! I gave you everything of myself and it still wasn’t enough! You sure are a greedy one, Izumi Sena! I love you!” Leo screeches. “I love you and you didn’t feel a thing! That’s actually pretty amazing, you know?”

Izumi shifts his eyes away. “Then that’s your fault, isn’t it?”

“Okay! I get it! I’m a smart boy~” Leo nods enthusiastically. “Knights is over. Everything is over.”

“What?” Arashi gasps, her eyes going wide.

Everything seems to be moving at hyper speed, and yet, her world comes to a stop.

“Mm! Mm!” Leo hums, a wide smile stretching his lips. He stumbles on his feet, his back eventually hitting the wall. Leo brings his hands up to his head. “Haha… After everything…”

“Well, that’s all I came here to say.” Izumi checks his phone. “So, bye, I guess.”

“Izumi-chan, hold on. What does that mean?” Arashi hurriedly interjects.

Izumi rolls his eyes at her. “What do you think it means? Knights is insignificant in comparison to this opportunity. If you’re going to stop me, I’ll take even you down, too. We’re individualists, Naru-kun. Remember that?”

“Wait a minute.” Arashi pleads, grabbing Izumi’s wrist. “I-”

“You said it yourself.” Izumi interrupts, yanking his hand away. “It’s better this way. It’s better that no one asks too many questions.”

“Hahaha!” Leo laughs, head still in his hands. “It’s over. Everything is over.”

Arashi’s attention is pulled away from the other model. “Ou-”

“Don’t talk to me!” Leo screams, sliding down the wall to sit on the ground with a plop. “I don’t trust you! I don’t trust any of you! Knights is over! We’re all enemies now, isn’t that great?!”

Arashi swallows thickly, gathering all of her courage. “Wait a minu-!?”

Leo looks up abruptly, shining emerald eyes a mix of fury and sorrow. “I said don’t talk to me! You! You want nothing for yourself! You’re empty! I don’t trust you the most! Who even are you?!”

She feels her heart stop.

“Humans are selfish! Humans only do what benefit them!” Leo continues, his voice becoming scratchy. “You? You’re the weird one! All of these other people in here? They’re normal! Hahahaha I get it, now! I don’t trust you the most!”

“I’m out of here. I have a plane to catch.” Izumi huffs, waving a hand as he exits the studio without looking back.

Arashi doesn’t know what to do anymore. Her mind is in a frenzy trying to figure out what has gone wrong.

“You! You who pours all of their love to other people and ask for nothing in return! Hahaha I can’t believe you exist!” Leo laughs, eyes still pooling with tears – the floor still being splattered with droplets. “Be careful, you’ll just get hurt, you know? But what do I know? I’m just a stupid, make-believe king!”

She feels tears beginning to sting her own eyes. “E-Enough. Please. Don’t do this to yourself…”

Pulling his knees up, Leo buries his head in them and screams. A sound of pure agony – of a heart shattering to pieces.

Arashi refuses to close her ears to them, this time. She runs to his side and kneels down.

“Go away!” Leo shrieks, pushing her hands away. “Nothing I have ever done has reached you either!”

“That’s-”

“Everything is over, so leave me alone!” Leo jumps to his feet and runs out before anyone has a chance to react.

Ritsu’s exhale breaks the silence of the studio thereafter.

“Ritsu-chan, where are you going?” Arashi demands, standing up gradually. Her mind is in a daze. The world around her is spinning so rapidly, she’s physically unstable on her feet.

“Home. There’s nothing left here.”

“I can’t believe you!” Arashi nearly shouts herself – however, just before she can lecture him, her eyes spot a silent form in the corner of the room. “Tsukasa-chan…”

Her momentary distraction allows Ritsu to slip out.

She clicks her tongue in annoyance, but there is someone still here that needs her more. “Honey, come here.”

Tsukasa hardly moves from his spot.

Arashi goes to him instead and pulls the younger boy into her arms, cradling his head against the crook of her neck with her hand.

Their relationship. Their bonds. Their love.

Their Knights.

Is everything really over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you couldn't tell... I'm a KnightsP... If this story doesn't update, I forgot and am tapping my life away for this IzuLeo event ^^;


	4. Part Four (e3, e6)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> Thoughts of Suicide Mention ! ! !

The boy in her arms has never seemed so young. He’s immobile, nearly catatonic, letting her move him as she wished. Arashi strokes Tsukasa’s bright red hair, hoping it is a comfort to him.

For this innocent first-year… The first-year they were meant to protect…

Their family fractured into shards of glass. Glittering prettily, yet stained with dried blood and spiderweb cracks. Their castle is burning again – the fuel that was unnoticeably pooling in the basement getting ignited.

“Narukami-senpai?”

“It’s okay, Tsukasa-chan.” Arashi reassures softly. “You can cry if you need to, I won’t say anything.”

Tsukasa only mumbles a sound. Slowly, he lifts his arms and fists his hands into the sides of her blazer. “…Should we…go after them?”

Arashi squeezes him to her body just a little tighter. A myriad of possibilities run through her mind. She bites her lip, the partially raw skin protesting angrily. “…Onee-chan will take care of it…”

“You will? By yourself?”

You can trust me; she wants to say. She so badly wants to utter those words.

But she has failed once…

Tsukasa makes a groaning noise when her arms tighten once more.

“Tsukasa-chan… Are there people at home you can be with?”

“What?”

“I don’t want you being by yourself.” Arashi pulls away and cups his cheeks in her palms. “I’m going after our older family members.”

“…Won’t you let me come with you?”

Arashi shakes her head, caressing Tsukasa’s cheeks with her thumbs. “I don’t want you to see an unsightly side of me.”

The first-year tilts his head and raises an eyebrow. “I don’t quite understand…? However, yes; there are plenty of domestic workers at home, currently. I will not be alone.”

“Good. Please call them to pick you up.” Arashi commands. She takes hold of his hand and starts walking out of the studio with a purpose. “When Ou-sama is AWOL, and Izumi-chan is incapacitated, I am your Queen. As Queen, I’ll do everything in my power to keep our kingdom alive.”

“I… see.” Tsukasa says breathily, trying to keep up with her long strides. “Then I am counting on you, Narukami-senpai.”

“As my only knight, I’ll also be counting on you, Tsukasa-chan.” Arashi looks over her shoulder and gives the small warrior a smile. “Stay here, at our castle, and be on standby. But the most important job I have for you, Tsukasa-chan…”

“Yes?”

They finally make their way outside. The snow clings desperately to any surface it may attach onto. Their heavy breathing frosts into crystals instantly.

She stops at the front gates and turns to him. Their amethyst hued eyes clash together. “I order you to make sure we have a home to come back to. Keep it safe for us, Tsukasa-chan.”

Tsukasa’s eyes widen slightly for a moment, but he composes himself quickly. Stepping his feet together, Tsukasa puts a hand over his heart and slightly bows at the waist. “As you command… Jou-sama.”

Seeing a black car roll to a stop in front of them, Arashi nods firmly, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I won’t fail a second time. Put your faith in me.”

“Second time?”

She shakes her head. Perhaps another time. Now, there are more pressing matters to attend to. “Be a good knight and wait for me.”

“May you return from the battlefield victorious.”

Arashi pats his shoulders once more, accompanied by another nod.

As soon as Tsukasa’s driver opens the back door, Arashi bolts off. Perhaps it’s not so bad to be a bit muscular, after all. Taking advantage of her speed, she quickly sidles into a train car just before the door closes.

First, she has to catch Izumi.

What in the world did he mean by needing to catch a plane?

What is he thinking? What opportunity did he take that is sending him far enough away that a plane is the best travel method?

As she makes her way to Izumi’s home, Arashi punches in Leo’s number on her cell phone.

Truthfully, she is worried about her King the most. However, if she spends all of her time looking around random places by herself, she won’t reach any of them in time…

The device rings in her ear, the call made it through.

The sound mixed with the steady motion of the train nearly lulls her into tranquility.

Yet, there is no peace. Their battle is still raging. Homebase is in flames and their front lawn is pooled with the blood of their allies. The tears that have been spilt and the bonds that have been broken all litter across the landscape like sparkling jewels. The sunlight reflects off of them, tempting her to pick it up for her own. Before the fire licks at them and everything melts away.

She will do it for them.

Leo’s words suddenly resound clearly in her mind.

Empty.

The train comes to a stop. And so does the ringing.

The automated voice explains to her to leave a message; however, she has no time to wait for Leo to listen to it. Arashi hangs up and tries again. If she’s persistent enough, surely, someone will notice.

She weaves her way through the busy crowd, apologizing as she goes. Izumi’s house is still quite a bit away from the station.

Automated voice.

Arashi says nothing and she dials again.

Even for a track and field specialist like her, the constant running makes her short of breath. Rounding a corner, she’s just in time to see a taxi pull up to the curb.

“Izumi-chan!”

Moonlight colored hair ruffles with the light breeze as the person turns their head towards her. Beautiful azure sparkle with the sunlight; fine features nearly making her heart skip a beat.

“Naru-kun? What are you doing here?” Izumi asks, his hand on the open door of the taxi. He makes a surprised noise as Arashi gets close and grabs his upper arms, the phone in her hand nearly slips to the ground.

“Idiot!” She yells. Izumi grunts as she pushes him, but quickly squeezes his arms to tug him back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Izumi clicks his tongue, pushing back. “I’m doing what will benefit me, what else?”

“And what about Ou-sama?”

“It’s like I said, I refuse to let a relationship keep me in place.” Izumi shakes off her hands. “I have a flight to catch, so if that’s all you have, I’m leaving.”

Arashi clenches her fists tightly and grits her teeth. “Then what about me?!”

Izumi stops just before getting inside of the car.

“What about me?” Arashi repeats in a softer tone. “We’ve been friends for so long… Why didn’t you tell _me _anything?”

Is that too selfish of her to ask for?

“…Are you crying?”

“God… I want to hate you so bad.” Arashi breaths out with a humorless laugh, forcing the tears that sting her eyes back – refusing to cry here. “But I love you. I love you so much, Izumi-chan. Why can’t you feel it?”

Izumi sighs, taking a step closer to her. He puts a hand behind Arashi’s head and brings her forehead to rest against his. “…It’s not that I don’t.” He whispers. “Naru-kun… Thank you for saving me.”

“What?”

Izumi threads his fingers into her hair. “You’ve stuck with me, all of this time. Through everything. Even when we barely knew each other. Even if you were just another shitty brat for me to take care of… You sure were fearless.”

“I didn’t… need anyone to like me.” Arashi sighs.

Her rebellious stage – her need to not let anyone control her, not even the adults lecturing her. With it came the bad memories of her misdeeds…

“You still don’t seem to.”

“Huh?”

“Well, thanks. Unlike me, you always love honestly.” Izumi pulls back and shifts his eyes back and forth uneasily. He trails off. “If you didn’t contact me that day, after _that_, maybe…”

Arashi’s voice gets caught in her throat once more. The air around her suddenly stills and it’s hard to breath. No way did he mean…

“What’s that look for?” Izumi smirks, stepping away further and about to enter the taxi. “Goodbye, Naru-kun.”

The car door closes before she knows it.

Shaking herself out of her shock, she yells, “What about the others?! Don’t they mean anything to you?! Ou-sama is on the verge of falling back to how he was!”

Izumi rolls down the window. “Then go after him in my stead. You’re better at love than I am.”

Before Arashi can reply, the taxi drives away.


	5. Part Five (Bxc4, c5)

“Izumi-chan!” Arashi shouts towards the empty space. The taxi soon makes its way out of her field of vision, disappearing after turning a corner. “Tsk.”

She clicks her phone on and begins to call Leo once more. The more the ringtone reverberates, the more anxious her heart becomes.

Next, she will have to go find Ritsu. He said he was going home, so that is where she will head towards. Arashi makes her way back to the train station, nearly tripping as she runs and fiddles with her cell phone.

Leo is unresponsive.

In any typical situation, that would be normal. On any regular day, Arashi would leave Leo to his fantasies and inspiration.

“Please, Ou-sama…” She whispers tenderly while inside a train car.

She makes it to her desired station and decides to change strategies.

The familiar ringing resounds from her device.

Automated voice.

“You have to be kidding, Tsukasa-chan.” Arashi huffs, jogging out of the station and down the street. “Not you, too. Where did you go?”

Silently, she pleads that nothing has happened to him.

She wholly believed he would be safe at home, with people watching for any sudden or strange movements.

The building anxiety settled in the pit of her stomach grows larger.

Arashi grips the phone tightly in her hand. Swallowing the uneasiness bubbling up her throat, she rings the doorbell to Ritsu’s home and waits.

And waits.

Arashi rings it again, additionally knocking on the door. “Ritsu-chan! It’s me!”

And waits.

There is not a peep coming from within the house.

Arashi yells the name again.

“Arashi!”

She turns her head at the voice. Her eyes scan the area – eventually spotting someone leaning out of an open window at the house next door. “Mao-chan?”

“They’re not home!”

“What? No way?” Arashi gets closer to the other house and stands just below the window.

“Ritsu didn’t tell you guys? Jeez.” Mao groans. “He and Sakuma-senpai left just a while ago. They had some kind of emergency family meeting and probably won’t be back until the end of the weekend.”

“I see…” Arashi trails off. Her will is slowly diminishing and falling into despair. “Thanks, Mao-chan!”

Mao tilts his head curiously, crossing his arms on the window sill and leaning his weight on them. “You don’t look so good. Is there something you need help with?”

She laughs to cover up all of the turmoil she is feeling. “You shouldn’t say that to a lady, you know?”

Mao hums. “There are plenty of people you can rely on. If not me, I’m sure someone you’re closer to will lend an ear.”

“Ah… It’s not like that, Mao-chan.”

“You don’t need to worry about hurting my feelings or anything. We both have people we’re closer to. Besides, it’s not like we’re in the same unit or club, even.”

Arashi looks down towards the ground shamefully.

That isn’t the reason… She never wanted Mao – anyone – to feel like they aren’t important to her. “But we’re in the same class, aren’t we? Idols of the same school.”

“What?” Mao yells down. “Speak louder!”

Has she not been able to reach him, either? Or is it…

...That they feel like they can’t reach her?

Even if she pours all of her love into someone, it’s meaningless if they feel undesirable when their own love is rejected. Unwanted.

She looks back towards the window, fortitude rising within her heart. “Mao-chan, do me a favor?”

“What is it?”

“Call Ritsu-chan and ask him if he’s alright. Make sure he is.”

Mao gives her a confused expression. “Easy enough… but he looked fine? Did something happen in Knights?”

Arashi starts fiddling with her own phone again as she answers. “Sorry, Mao-chan, I’ll tell you later, okay? I’m in a hurry!”

Before Mao can reply, Arashi takes off once more, putting her phone to her ear.

It’s too late to contact Izumi. He’s a long way away.

Tsukasa isn’t answering.

Leo isn’t answering.

Mao will take care of Ritsu.

She only has a few options left.

A boisterous voice echoes loudly from her cell phone.

“Mama.” Arashi greets, her voice breathless while making her way to the train station once more. She silently pleads that this will be the last time. “You haven’t seen Ou-sama, have you?”

As expected, Madara has not seen hide nor hair of Knights’ wayward King.

She asks him if he has any clue where Leo might run off to think.

“Anything wrong…?” Arashi softly repeats the words being said to her. She slows her stride until coming to a complete stop. The lie forming on the tip of her tongue tastes so sweet. Safe. She doesn’t want to worry him, after all. “…We’re falling apart.”

Tears begin to fill her eyes and distort her vision as she stands in the middle of the sidewalk. Admitting to the truth makes reality feel heavier. The weight on her shoulders is crushing her, mentally forcing her to her knees.

She’s going to fail again.

She did this.

She made them feel like their love has never been enough for her.

All of this selfless giving while asking for nothing in return turned out to actually be the most selfish actions she could have ever taken. It made her feel better about herself, all the while chipping away at their hearts. She masqueraded around, pretending that she was doing something pure hearted; when she was the demon, all along.

“Mama, help me find Ou-sama. Before he does something reckless.”

The tears have yet to fall. She blinks them back, biting at her tongue severely to stave them off. Not yet.

Before they end the call, Madara gives Arashi a number of places Leo might run off to.

She settles on one particular location, first. A familiar, meaningful place to both he and Izumi.

Her feet sink deeply into the sand; the grains shifting aimlessly where they will. The ocean waves rise and crash onto shore, filling the air with a salty essence that makes her crinkle her nose.

Desperately, Arashi scans the area, looking to and fro. Relief fills her heart as quickly as it empties out and is replaced with dread. Just like the rolling tides covered in sea foam.

Her throat closes up; blood draining from her face.

There. A spot of shocking auburn stands out against the landscape.

High, on the very edge of the cliff and facing the tumultuous ocean… is Leo.


	6. Part Six (0-0)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> Implied/Referenced Suicide ! ! !

Her heart lodges in her throat, but despite that, Arashi forces her legs to move. She has to get to him. She has to stop him.

Before it’s too late.

Before someone she cherishes disappears right before her eyes once more.

_I love you. Goodbye._

The words echo in her mind again and again.

The salt in the air stings her eyes. The sand beneath her feet try with all of their might to slow her down. Arashi only runs harder. Searing heat shoots through her lungs and her throat tightens. The thin winter air making it even tougher to breath.

Her panting breaths crystalizes in front of her face.

Blood is pumping loudly within her ears; the sounds of crashing waves almost getting drowned out by the noise.

The cliff is far, on the complete other side of the beach where the sand gradually turns to soil and the open space becomes filled with foliage.

Arashi keeps a constant eye on the auburn spot in the distance, high in the sky, as she sprints. If worse comes to worse…If the unthinkable happens…

If their King has been pushed too far and the thin strand holding him together snaps from the tension… Arashi is prepared to veer off course and leap into the ocean alongside him. Her skills in the water do not match the likes of Kaoru, nor has she ever trained as a lifeguard, but she will be damned if she doesn’t even try. To risk her own safety for just a single chance to save Leo, she’ll do anything.

She will gladly give up everything for any one of them.

Sometimes, it is not that they want their life to end. It is that they can no longer withstand what life has thrown at them. There is no weighing the good against the bad. Tomorrow is just another day that is an uncertain, frightful mystery.

For a chance that they will be happy and smile another day, she will toss away all that she is and all that she has.

If Leo has lost something that he cannot go on without, then she will fill up that space all that she can. She will fill it to overflowing with all of her energy until he can move on without her.

As long as they live, that is enough payment for her.

The pliant, unstable sand progressively transforms, her feet now slapping against solid earth.

She forces everything – all of her feelings – to the back of her mind. The trees scratching at her delicate hands as she maneuvers around them; the sharp pebbles ricocheting against the ground as she kicks them away – all of it can wait.

The inclined climb paired with the thinning air makes her throat itch, a cough getting dragged out of her lungs harshly. Nevertheless, she is, finally, almost there.

She can make it to him.

She can make it in time.

“Ou-sama…” Arashi exhales heavily, shoulders rising and falling with her uneven breaths.

“Naru.” Leo says, his voice smooth and calm. He does not turn to look at her, keeping his stare towards the horizon.

Arashi swallows hard, taking a cautious step closer and reaching out her hand. “Let’s go, Ou-sama. Come back home with me.”

“…Home.” The breeze lightly rustles Leo’s hood, teasingly about to pull it down. “There’s nothing at home.”

She clenches her fist, keeping the other hand out in offering. He’s too calm. “There’s always something at home. Please, believe me.”

Leo is silent, body unmoving.

“Ou-sama,” Arashi continues, her voice cracking with the strain of the tears being pushed back. “I love you. Don’t leave. Please… There are so many people waiting for you.”

“I love you.” Leo mutters just loud enough to carry with the breeze. “I love everyone. I love humans. I love the fans I’ve gathered as an idol. I love Sena, Rittsu, and Suo~.”

“That’s right.” Arashi shifts closer, her shoes sliding against the loose rocks littering the ground. “They’re waiting for you.”

“…Naru… My songs weren’t good enough, were they? If they were, everyone would have stayed. No one ever needed my love. It was… always… the songs. I gave them all away for free, because I wanted to. Because it made me happy – I thought it was equivalent to giving love. And… because I thought it would make other people happy… but it wasn’t enough.”

“That’s not true. You’re a genius, Ou-sama. The best composer I know; but everyone loves you for you. Whether you compose or not, it doesn’t matter.”

Waves crash against the side of the cliff; the vibrations shooting through her legs from beneath her feet.

“You’re the same.”

“What?”

“Humans are selfish. They’ll take and take and take even more. You and I… If we were born as the givers – the givers who don’t take anything within ourselves as payment – were we doomed from the start? Is it our fate? Can we never escape from it?”

Her words fly away with the wind.

Herself and Leo…

Has he been warning her, this whole time?

“But even us, the givers… We’re selfish, too.” Arashi admits softly. She remembers the times when all she thought about was herself. The times when she disobeyed the older generation as they lectured her. The times when she took the love she was given and brushed it off.

“And? Do you need my love?”

No matter what she says, Leo is the master of his own mind. What he believes is entirely up to him.

But even so, she will do everything in her power to make him have faith in their love.

Sea spray splashes up at them. The cool droplets chilling their skin.

“I do. I want it, Ou-sama.” Arashi’s voice is tense. “I’ll accept everything about you. I’m not empty. You can trust me if all that I am is you, can’t you?”

“Pretty words from a pretty person.” Leo sighs out.

The ocean has always been dangerously unpredictable.

The gust suddenly whips by powerfully.

Leo turns his head away from it, closing his eyes. His hood falls; fabric getting stretched by the air current. Instinctively, he shifts his feet to balance himself.

“Leo!” Arashi cries out.

Her heart stops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, that isn't a mistake. I know it's like that~


	7. Part Seven (a6)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> Implied/Referenced Suicide ! ! ! Thoughts of Suicide Mention ! ! !

“Leo!”

Arashi’s face drains of color, becoming as white as a sheet.

The blood pumping through her veins freeze, leaving the ghost of pinpricks of pain to shoot through her limbs.

He’s too close. Much too close.

She runs forward, her feet hitting the solid rock beneath with hurried thuds. Arashi throws her arms around him, bringing his smaller body into hers and attempts to jump back; away from the cliff’s edge.

Noises leave both of their lips as they hit the ground on their sides.

“Ow…” Leo hisses, moving his hand to gently cradle his other arm, checking it over. Sluggishly, he begins to sit up. “Did you just call me by name?”

Arashi fists her hand into the ground, perfectly manicured nails digging into loose rocks and dirt. The breath she held is released in a strangled cry. She whimpers out a word, “Don’t…”

“Are you hurt?” Leo asks worriedly, shifting closer to her. “Where? Let me see-”

He gasps as Arashi pushes herself up and winds her arms around his shoulders.

She can’t hold back the tears any longer. They bubble out in incoherent sounds and wet streaks staining her cheeks.

“…Are you crying?” Leo whispers into her ear. Slowly, he wraps his own arms around her and lets her settle between his legs comfortably. He brings her head to rest on his shoulder. The fabric of his jacket becomes damp within seconds. “Naru… It’s okay. Shh… I’m...”

“Please don’t leave…”

Leo rubs her back up and down. “I wasn’t going to jump. Even if I did fall, it’s just water down there. There aren’t any rocks.”

Arashi grinds her teeth together, hugging him tighter.

Leo makes a small noise of protest, but doesn’t move. “That kid… Sora. He jumps from here all the time with his hang glider.” He leans his head into hers.

“Stupid! Idiot! Delusional King!”

“…Sena really is your childhood friend, huh?”

“From this height?!” Arashi continues, ignoring his words. She lifts her head, despite knowing her cheeks are splotched with unsightly splashes of red and muddied dirt and her eyes are swollen with the tears. “How do you know there’s nothing down there?! It’s the middle of winter, mind you! The water is freezing! What if there’s ice? The waves could’ve carried you away! Your clothes get heavier when soaked, what if you had drowned?!”

Arashi bites her lip, desperately trying to stop her face from twisting into agony. Exhaling only proves that her body is shaking. She leans her head back down and clutches the front of Leo’s shirt as another sob breaks free.

“I’m sorry, Naru. I… didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“You’re terrible.” Arashi says hoarsely, not daring to lift her head from his shoulder anymore. “Making a lady cry…” She sniffles.

Leo hums in agreement. “The worse.”

He seems different. The thought flits across her mind more and more the longer they hold each other. Leo’s demeanor is back to what she knows and loves. Back to where Leo is just being the Leo whose heart isn’t shattering to pieces.

“I…” Leo trails off. “I won’t leave you, now.”

“…Can I trust that? Is that a promise?”

She feels his arms tighten around her.

“Me… Sena, too.” Leo says. “Our names could have been etched into the cenotaph next to your friend.”

Arashi shakes her head crossly, forehead rubbing against Leo’s shoulder.

“No one is immune, you know? Sena and I… Maybe even Ritsu and Suo~... Thank you, Arashi Narukami.” She feels Leo lay a small kiss against her temple. “But it doesn’t feel nice to only receive your love. So, let us return some. Let us repay you for even just a fraction.”

She swallows thickly, her throat feeling sore. “You want to love me?”

“We already love you. You just need to accept it, yourself.”

Arashi bites her lip once more, the skin becoming increasingly irritated and thin.

“Forgive yourself, Naru.” Leo continues in a low tone. “We love you. And we’ll miss you. But we’re not sorry.”

Arashi pushes Leo down harshly. His back hits the ground with thud, breath rushing out from between his lips. The tears build up rapidly in her eyes and drips onto the skin of his cheek as she holds herself up over him. “Don’t say that!”

“It’s not your fault.” Leo replies serenely. He reaches up and wipes her skin with his thumb. “You didn’t see it because we didn’t want you to stop us.”

“Shut up!”

“Naru… You don’t have to be tormented by the memory of us or the what ifs.”

“Stop it…” She whimpers, hanging her head. “Stop including yourself. Stop.”

Leo closes his mouth, but keeps his hand against her cheek.

Arashi continues with resolve, “You’ll live. You’ll live a full life and be happy. We’ll sing and we’ll dance and make all of our dreams come true.” More tears drip onto Leo’s face. “So… So, live. Live with me.”

“You’re giving more of yourself to me.” Leo mutters. “You can love yourself as much as you want, but aren’t you lonely?”

She hiccups lightly, leaning down and laying her head on his chest. “No. Your warmth is right here with me, filling my heart back up.”

Leo pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in. He unhurriedly winds his arms behind her back, their bodies pressing together snugly. “Is that enough?”

“Standing next to me is enough.” She murmurs in a soft, airy voice.

“You’re so…” Leo turns his head away, cheek pressing against loose rocks and dirt. “…Hard to please.”

“What about me is hard to please? I just said this is enough. I’m happy… I’m happy enough that you’re alive.”

“You never say it out loud.”

“I just said-” Arashi turns her head the other way and is met with a pout. He is suddenly looking at her again.

“Whenever someone wants something, you give it away without a fight and say you’re happy that they’re happy.” Leo states, still speaking in whispers. “Whenever something goes your way, even a little bit, just that is enough. You get to see mine, when do I get to see your human sides?”

The two of them stare at each other for a time. Shining amethyst reflecting against emerald.

Arashi rubs her cheek against Leo’s chest a little harder. The steady beat of his heart under her ear calming hers and enticing it to match his own. It is as though they are singing together on stage and matching their breaths.

“I want to stay with you. I want to stay with you forever, no matter what our fates are.”


	8. Epilogue

Everything is fine, everything is A-OK, she lies to herself within the safety of her own mind.

The weekend is over and, absolutely, nothing has been resolved.

She and Leo stayed together on the cliff, despite the season’s bitter cold weather. Cuddled up together, Arashi took comfort in his steady heartbeat and the warmth of his body. They chatted in alluring undertones, serious topics eventually transforming into regular conversation once she made sure his mental state was sound.

Izumi.

Ritsu.

Relationships.

All of those words were avoided for the moment. She was unwilling to push him further that day. Not when everything was still teetering on the very edge.

But they will have to confront the issues, ultimately. The sooner, the better.

It was nice, however. She loves him, after all. Any amount of time she can spend with him, no matter what their situation is, she will not take for granted.

When the winter sun started to dip below the horizon, their cuddle session was called to an end. Huddled together, bodies pressing against each other, the chilly air and ocean breeze did not pierce through their clothing. However, without the shining star to lend them its warmth from above, the frigid season took its toll.

At the time, Arashi still had no idea where Tsukasa could have gotten to. So, as she walked Leo home – not that he needed to be walked home, he had pouted – she gave their youngest member a call, but to no avail. In response to that, Leo hummed casually and said he would text her if he heard something.

It was better safe than sorry, in her opinion, to make sure Leo isn’t going to run off and do something reckless. Or if he gets attacked and is too tired from the emotional stress to defend himself. Once beyond the door to his home, she instructed her King’s cute younger sister, Ruka, to make sure Leo eats dinner and goes to bed. Ordered in such a way so she did not alert the girl too much.

By the time she walked to the train station to decide whether her next destination would be Tsukasa’s home or her own, Leo had sent a text message saying that their youngest is fine and was napping.

…Arashi supposes the day’s emotional stress would have tired the boy out.

Despite the relief that she was able to reach two of her precious family members, she is presently fidgeting in her seat in Knights’ studio, and fiddling with the vanity mirror in her hands. Leo called for them to meet here; nevertheless, practice seems to be the last thing on his mind.

Using the reflective glass, she shifts her eyes here and there. Leo is laying in the middle of the room, on the floor composing, as always. Tsukasa is tucked away in the kotatsu with a textbook and worksheet laid out in front of him.

The door is closed.

The door remains closed.

Is she the only one anxious?

She hasn’t seen Izumi all day. The usual glimpse at lunch or in the morning as they pass by each other to go to their respective classroom was nonexistent. Is he absent?

No longer a Yumenosaki student?

Even Ritsu wasn’t in class.

And not that it is very often she gets a glance at Rei, but she has not seen the older Sakuma either.

“Ou-sama,” Arashi calls softly, putting the mirror down. She knows that disturbing his concentration is a _severe crime that halts the birth of a masterpiece; _however, something must be solved. “About Knights,”

Leo hums, signaling he hears her through the music strumming in his mind, but doesn’t look up from his sheet music.

Arashi takes a breath to calm her heart. “We are still Knights, right?”

This time, Leo looks up and cocks his head. Tsukasa also turns his head towards her.

“Who else wo-” Tsukasa, answering in Leo’s stead, is interrupted by a short knock on the door.

All eyes turn to the sound. Arashi’s heart speeds up as it slowly opens.

“Sena!” Leo greets loudly, swiftly getting up from his position and bouncing over to the model. Leo stops just short of colliding bodies. “Welcome home~”

“Mm. I’m back.” Izumi replies coolly, closing the door behind him.

Leo is grinning as he tilts his head just a little higher and seals Izumi’s lips with his own.

Arashi’s eyes widen. Usually she would look away from such acts to give romantic partners a semblance of privacy; though, this time, she could not drag her eyes from them.

Izumi raises an arm and winds it around Leo’s shoulders, grabbing the opposite one gently. They break apart with a whispered, moist noise and a content aura.

“Welcome back, Sena-senpai.” Tsukasa adds in.

“I’m back.” Izumi repeats, eyeing the textbook briefly. “Good?”

“I understand this, do not worry.”

They’re talking.

They’re not even blinking at the normality.

They kissed?!

“Wait, wait, wait!” Arashi frantically rushes out, standing from her seat. Deep confusion is rushing through her mind, thoughts running at the speed of light. “What?”

Izumi, with his face twisted in an annoyed frown, scowls out, “What’s gotten into you?”

“Naru?” Leo says more worriedly, still being cradled close to his boyfriend’s body.

“I… You?” It’s rare, but she is at a loss. Her tongue refuses to properly form words.

“Narukami-senpai?” Tsukasa cautiously moves to get up. “Should I call for Sagami-sensei?”

“N-No. I’m fine.” Arashi waves her hand. “No, wait. I’m not fine! Izumi-chan!”

“Stop being annoying and spit it out, Naru-kun. Got something to say to me?”

“Weren’t you all fighting?” Arashi asks. “Didn’t you quit and take a plane to who knows where?”

Izumi blinks a couple times, his blues clashing with her violets. “Ou-sama… You…”

“Oh, Naru,” Leo turns to face her fully, but careful to keep Izumi’s arm around him. She guesses he craves the intimacy after being separated. “There’s this chess strategy called the Queen’s Gambit. Have you heard of it?”

It’s Arashi’s turn to tilt her head cutely. “I haven’t. I’m not an avid chess player like you, Ou-sama.”

“Hmm~ Well, it’s an opening strategy, really. Something to throw off your opponent from the very start. There’s stuff called the King’s Gambit, too. But the queen one is a li~ttle special.”

“How so?”

“It’s called a gambit, but who would sacrifice their queen?” Leo innocently states rhetorically. Arashi bites her inner cheek as she feels her heart skip a beat. “Some of the others, you bait with a big piece, and take a casualty, but you gain a lot in return.”

Leo puts a finger to his bottom lip. “The Queen’s strategy, on the other hand… Is fake.”

“Fake…?”

“You bait, and the pawn is lost, but the enemy gains useless territory. It doesn’t benefit them at all, and we were just using it to distract them for a turn while we look for something to exploit. In the end, your enemy will let the territory go on their own.”

“…What are you saying, Ou-sama?” Arashi raises an eyebrow.

Leo smiles, closing an eye as he leans his forehead against the side of Izumi’s head and tenderly presses the pad of his fingers to his boyfriend’s jaw. “Sena is the type that once he opens up to someone, he’s yours forever. I wasn’t really sure if we could fool you so easily, though, Naru.”

Arashi looks down, her fists instinctively clenching with the raw emotions rising to the surface. How was she supposed to even react to that situation? Just because she knew that about Izumi…

“…You’re cruel, Ou-sama…”

Leo’s smile turns sympathetic. “I’ve never been a kind teacher. You were walking the same path I was. I had to stop you. You feel better now, don’t you, my queen?”

She bites down a hiss. “You went along with it, Izumi-chan? Just like that?”

“…You of all people...” Izumi shifts his weight. “I’ve had enough of pretty things shattering right in front of me.”

“You can despise us, but we’ll never hate you. We love you, Naru.” Leo adds.

“Maybe you were wrong, Leader.” Tsukasa says delicately, leaning his elbows on the kotatsu. “Narukami-senpai is quite strong.”

Her nails dig into the skin of her palms. Teeth bites into lip.

“Maybe.” Leo concedes. “Naru is the strongest person I know. Maybe you didn’t need it. But I couldn’t leave that tiny, fragile part of you alone. No one is immune.”

“I…” Arashi gasps out.

“Don’t hate Suo~. He can’t act to save his life, so I told him to stay quiet and not open his mouth unnecessarily. He didn’t actually want to go along with me.” Leo informs.

Izumi huffs, “You don’t have to take all of the blame, Ou-sama. Stop putting all of the weight on your shoulders.”

She listens quietly.

Holding a grudge accomplishes nothing. Spreading the feeling of revulsion within her veins, especially towards _them_, almost makes her physically sick.

She loves them.

“No… I… Thanks.” Arashi whispers. Her fists loosen and her lip is released from the painful sharpness of her teeth.

They were only trying to protect her.

They love her enough, in return, to risk everything they have built up.

They stopped her from dwelling and thinking about the what ifs.

“Live a long life with us, Naru.”

Arashi hums and nods, turning her head away to dab at the corner of her eye with the side of her hand. “Of course, Ou-sama.”

They’ve given her love, and she’s now ready to accept them into her heart. Give and take. No one can stay empty forever. It’s okay to be a little selfish, after all. For happiness.

“Not to put a damper into this moment we’re having, but you called us here for reason, didn’t you, Ou-sama? We’ve got somewhere to be.” Izumi breaks in.

“Right! Let’s go!” Leo excitedly grabs his stuff and haphazardly puts on his scarf.

“Go?” Arashi asks, watching as Tsukasa also gathers his things neatly.

“We’re going to pick up Rittsu at the station!” Leo bounces around, ultimately deciding to grab Tsukasa’s hand and dragging the boy out of the room. “Hurry~”

“Leader!” Tsukasa protests, stumbling to keep up. The two are out of the studio within seconds.

Izumi clicks his tongue, turning to leave as well. “Well, come on, Naru-kun. Don’t fall behind.”

“You won’t let me stray too far away.” Arashi replies confidently with a giggle. She wraps her scarf around her neck, relishing in the warmth. “Let’s go get Ritsu-chan~”

The two of them eventually catch up to their hyperactive King and tired Youngest at the school entrance.

“Rittsu will be there soon.” Leo says, a slight skip still present within his steps as he swings his and Tsukasa’s arm back and forth. “You and Rittsu were so far away, Sena~ If Suo~ and Naru weren’t here, I would have been lonely.”

“It was only a couple days, Ou-sama.” Izumi sighs, reaching out to caress Leo’s cheek with a thumb. “You’re not alone.”

“I miss my Knights while they’re out campaigning.” Leo hums gently, leaning into Izumi’s palm just a bit before the model pulls it away.

Arashi raises an elegant eyebrow. “You actually took a plane? It wasn’t just a ruse?”

Izumi scoffs. “Of course it wasn't. Kuma-kun and I, legitimately, had to leave. That designer I know was hosting a runway show, but one of their models got sick. They called me in a hurry to see if I could take the two-hour flight and replace them.”

“Additionally, Ritsu-senpai truly had a family emergency.” Tsukasa adds. “I have been hoping for both of you to return to our sides safely; all problems solved.”

“Brat.” Izumi ruffles Tsukasa’s bright red hair, earning a complaintive sound.

“We’re here!” Leo announces, increasing the speed of his steps. “Ritssu!”

The group’s focus turn to where Leo is looking and is greeted with double crimson gazes.

Rei chuckles and pats his younger brother on the shoulder, walking away while Ritsu halts and waits.

Leo lets go of Tsukasa’s hand and hurries over to throw his arms around Ritsu’s neck, placing a kiss to the self-proclaimed vampire’s cheek. “Welcome home!”

“I’m back, Ou-sama.” Ritsu replies, winding his arms around the orange head and giving a squeeze. “You’re energetic today.”

Leo steps back, putting his hands on his hips and raising his chin proudly. “Everyone is home, safe and sound. Of course, I am! Wahaha!”

Arashi keeps a small distance as the group greets each other and exchange kisses on the cheek. Even between Izumi and Tsukasa, who never had a chance to earlier.

As she looks on fondly, she fails to notice Leo silently stepping up to her. “We won’t kiss you, but you can join us, you know?”

Watching the other three a moment longer, Arashi makes up her mind. “Hey, Ou-sama?”

“What is it?”

Arashi’s eyes sparkle as she looks at him. “Does that offer still stand?”

“Hm?” Leo tilts his head like a curious kitten.

He’s rather cute, almost delicately feminine.

“Can I join you? For real?” She leans down, nearly pressing her lips to his cheek. “Falling in love with you and Izumi-chan… with Ritsu-chan and Tsukasa-chan, too; sounds kind of nice, you know?”

She repeats back the words said to her just a while ago. A smirk slowly lifts the corners of her lips.

The smile is infectious as Leo’s own lips spread into a happy grin. Before she knows it, Leo is stealing her breath away with a kiss. “Of course, the offer still stands. Our family will never be separated now.”

Arashi stands back up to her full height, raking her fingers sheepishly through her hair. Taking a peek at the others, her cheeks turn rosy realizing they have been observing.

“Fufu~ Welcome, Nacchan.” Ritsu teases. “Let’s get along~”

“Do not be foolish, Ritsu-senpai. Nothing changes. It is a given that we will get along, as long as Leader suppresses his antics.” Tsukasa scolds.

Izumi ushers them to start walking. “We’re in people’s way. Let’s go get dinner.”

Leo easily agrees, grabbing Ritsu’s hand this time and marching off. “Yep! Sena and Rittsu must be hungry after travelling today!”

“Leader, please do not get so far ahead.” Tsukasa grumbles as he hesitantly places his hand in Izumi’s.

Izumi easily closes his fingers around the younger boy’s and starts walking.

Trailing behind them for a moment, Arashi splays her hand in front of her. Her eyes find the shine of the ring reflecting the remaining winter sunlight.

“I get it now… I miss you, you know?” She whispers wistfully. “Thank you, for all of the things you did for me. For loving me. I’ll protect them, so watch me, okay?”

A hand encroaches within her vision and grabs hers. “I told you, you’re going to get left behind, Naru-kun.”

Looking up, she’s met with four gazes. Everyone has stopped walking to wait.

Arashi lets out a titter, threading her fingers with his. “Be more honest, Izumi-chan~”

“Secchan would more likely eat an entire cake before that happens~”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying.”

“Wahaha! Come on, come on~ The aliens will eat all of the food if we don’t hurry!”

“Do not sprout such nonsense in public, Leader!”

Even if a bit unorthodox and wildly outlandish, Arashi will treasure every moment with them.

Her heart is finally free.

Free to love.

And to accept love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's that! Welcome to the end~ Thank you for reading up to this point and taking this journey with me! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please tell me what you think!!! Comments, kudos, tweeting at me are all very much welcomed and highly appreciated! 
> 
> If you're satisfied with the ending here, thank you for reading! If you would like to see more of this universe, please go on to the sequel "Checkmate"! I'm sure they will get into more troubles in the future~


	9. Queen's Gambit Explanation

(Accepted)

Chess Opening. Queen’s Gambit is not considered a true gambit, unlike the King’s Gambit. The sacrificed pawn is either regained or held by the opponent with no gain. The opponent often allows the player to take back the space and uses the time to move within the center. The Queen’s Gambit forces the opponent to make slow and subtle moves to complete their development. The player will, in turn, attempt to exploit these moves and the opponent will need to defend while attempting to counterattack the player’s queenside.

  1. d4 d5 
    1. Player’s pawn moves forward two spaces. Opponent’s pawn moves directly in front of it.
  2. c4 dxc4 
    1. Player’s c pawn moves two spaces forward. It is captured by opponent’s pawn that was on d5.
  3. Nf3 Nf6 
    1. Player’s knight on g1 moves to f3, delaying the recapturing of the taken square (pawn). This prevents the opponent from striking at the center with a pawn coming out to e5.
    2. Opponent’s knight reciprocates, sending the g8 knight to f6. This also prevents the player from making the same center tactic.
  4. e3 e6 
    1. Both players move the pawn on the e column one square forward, just short of either knight pieces’ capturing ability. A threat to the center on both sides.
  5. Bxc4 c5 
    1. Player’s bishop on f1 will use this time to recapture the space that was taken from the pawn on c4.
    2. Opponent brings out c column pawn.
  6. 0-0 a6 
    1. With all pieces out of the way, player will castle on the kingside.
    2. Opponent slowly developing moves, brings out a column pawn on square from a7 to a6.


End file.
